Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 June 2023
99. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the current timeframes on processing exceptional needs payment applications, broken down by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31421/23]
View answerUnder the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments (ANP) to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. An ANP is an overarching term used to refer to Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments, and certain other Supplements available to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary.
Work on hand is within the scheme's normal processing levels and fully completed applications are processed within two weeks. Applications for ANPs are varied and often quite complex, reflecting the individual circumstances being experienced. Where an application cannot be finalised promptly, the delay is normally due to the need for additional information or documentation and the time it takes for the customer to respond. Upon receipt of this information, the application is then processed quickly.
It is important to note that where it is clear that a person has an urgent or immediate need, every effort is made to ensure that the claim is processed on the same day. Community Welfare Officers are very experienced and can generally assess when a case is so urgent that it requires an immediate response.
The Community Welfare Service is committed to providing a quality service to all citizens, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made quickly.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
